"What a coincidence!" Li Qing pushed Wan Ling forward and said with a smile, "Did you just finish watching the show?"
"Yeah." Zhu Yunwen took over, "Senior brother, will you take your sister-in-law out to relax?"
Li Qing nodded, and Wan Ling greeted the two of them.
The four of them rushed back together.
Along the way, Li Jinglong kept chattering, and the topic revolved around Zhu Yunwen's imperial examination.
Zhu Yunwen was really annoyed, "You guys chat, I'm going back first."
"Don't leave in a hurry, go buy something." Li Qing told Zhu Yunwen what the old man wanted to eat.
"Okay, I'll buy it right away." Zhu Yunwen agreed and went impatiently.
Li Jinglong scratched his head and asked curiously: "What's wrong with him?"
"..." Li Qing rolled his eyes. From the few words he just said, he had already guessed something, and teased: "Aren't you too annoying?"
"That's too much!" Li Jinglong's face was full of hurt, "Don't I think he is not appreciating his talent and want to find a way for him?"
"Everyone has his own ambitions. If he doesn't want to take the imperial examination, why should you force him?" Li Qing knew that Li Jinglong was sincere and said with a smile, "I know you mean well, but he is not suitable for this path."
Li Jinglong nodded angrily and muttered: "Yes, I am just being sentimental."
After a pause, "Brother, you are both a junior brother and the master's, so shouldn't you be..."
He came closer to Li Qing and whispered: "Your master, didn't you say that he has died... ahem, and gone to the west? That old man is really a slovenly immortal, isn't he?"
Li Qing raised an eyebrow, "What do you think?"
"I..." Li Jinglong said speechlessly, "I know where to go. I'm not asking you for confirmation."
"Haha..." Li Qing's smile faded, "No."
Li Jinglong was startled, then curled his lips and said, "I understand, they are all your cousins."
Speaking of this, he seemed to suddenly remember something, his expression suddenly changed, and he looked at Li Qing in astonishment, "Brother, Zhu Wen...could it be..."
"No." Li Qing emphasized, his words full of warning.
Li Jinglong was not extremely smart, but he was definitely not stupid. Seeing Li Qing like this, he was completely shocked.
He murmured: "No wonder...I just said..."
When he regained consciousness, Li Qing had already pushed Wan Ling away.
"Brother, wait for me..."
~
Yongqinghou Mansion.
In the pavilion, Li Jinglong and Zhu Yunwen sat opposite each other, with Li Qing daheng accompanying them.
After receiving the tea from his servant, Li Qing ordered: "We don't need anyone to serve us here. Let's go and have a rest. No orders are given and no one is allowed to come and disturb us."
"Yes, sir." The maid bowed and retreated.
Seeing his servants walking away, Li Jinglong spoke in a trembling voice: "Jianwen... Huang..."
After holding it back for a long time, he couldn't think of an appropriate title.
"Just call me Zhu Wen." Zhu Yunwen said.
"Hey, Zhu Wen..." Li Jinglong completely lost the enthusiasm and kindness of the past, his face was full of shame, even a little embarrassed, "Back then..."
"It's all over. I'm just a commoner now," Zhu Yunwen smiled gently, "Of course, if you want, you can still be like before."
Li Jinglong thought of what he said in the opera house and wanted to slap himself: I really deserve to die!
After a long while, he said with regret: "I'm sorry..."
"It doesn't matter, I've long since let go." Zhu Yunwen smiled and said, "Now everyone is happy with the result, you don't have to blame yourself."
Li Jinglong sighed for a long time, speechless and choked.
Cousin, cousin, not Li Qing's cousin, but my Li Jinglong's cousin... Li Jinglong burst into tears. After a long time, he sniffed and said in a hoarse voice: "Brother, how have you been in these years...?"
"It's pretty good. I have food and drink, and a happy and worry-free life." Zhu Yunwen said with a smile.
"I'm sorry for you." Li Jinglong couldn't stop crying after all.
This guy is too emotional, a big man who loves to cry.
Li Qing stood up and walked out of the pavilion to make room for his cousins to reminisce.
The reason why he confessed Zhu Yunwen's identity to Li Jinglong was to redeem Li Jinglong, and at the same time, it was also for Zhu Yunwen's consideration.
Zhu Yunwen wants to spend the rest of his life here. If they get to know each other, even if he leaves one day, there will be someone to help take care of him.
…
After a long time, Li Jinglong walked up to Li Qing and patted his shoulder: "Brother, thank you. Brother, the thorn in my heart that has been in my heart for decades is gone."
"He is fine now. Don't think about anything else. Keeping the status quo is the best for him." Li Qing warned.
"Understood, I understand everything." Li Jinglong nodded, "Don't worry, I'm not a child, my heart is open."
"As long as you understand." Li Qing nodded.
Li Jinglong walked away with a smile, walking briskly, as if he felt much younger all of a sudden, his back straightened up, and the crutch in his hand became a decoration.
Li Qing also looked pleased.
Back at the pavilion, Zhu Yunwen was sipping tea. When he saw him coming, he smiled and said hello: "Senior brother."
"Yes." Li Qing sat down, "I didn't discuss it with you beforehand. It was my senior brother's presumption."
"It doesn't matter what you say." Zhu Yunwen smiled and said, "Master will get tired of it one day. As a disciple, I cannot live up to expectations. In the future, if Master wants to visit the great rivers and mountains, he can only rely on his senior brother;
Junior brother doesn't have much ability, so he can only help senior brother guard this place."
"Hmm, huh?" Li Qing thought about it and said in surprise: "You... know everything?"
Zhu Yunwen nodded: "Master told me that if senior brother returns to the court in the future, he must have a helper. I will stay here to help him solve the identity, household registration problems, and the Yongqing Marquis Mansion."
Li Qing's heart felt warm and sour at the same time. He also said that Zhu Yunwen chose to stay here out of a desire to return to his roots. He never thought that it was for himself.
"You don't have to be like this." Li Qing said, "There is also Li Jinglong. When the day comes, you can just go with your senior brother."
Zhu Yunwen said: "Keeping one more person, one more insurance, it is always good for me to be here. Furthermore, your affairs can no longer be known to other people, one more person knows, one more risk."
Li Qing was silent.
"Well, it's good to stay here. I can watch the prosperity of the Ming Dynasty, and I have a cousin to keep me company. I won't be lonely." Zhu Yunwen said seriously, "I also want to do something for the Ming Dynasty."
"Yeah, okay." Li Qing nodded, no longer pretentious.
~
Since the last time, Li Jinglong has come to the house more frequently. This guy seems to have a second spring in his life, and his whole person is radiant and much younger.
"Brother Li, Brother Zhu, let's go to the theater."
"You go ahead, my girl and I have made an appointment to go shopping." Li Qing waved his hand.
Li Jinglong: "...Look at your virtue."
"Sir..." Wan Ling said with a thin skin, "I'm fine at home."
"Ignore them, let's go shopping." Li Qing carried Wan Ling to the chair and said with a smile, "Let's go."
Before going out, Li Qing knocked on the door of his master's room and asked, "Master, what do you want to eat tonight?"
"Whatever," Zhang Sloppy said in a hurry, "don't bother me if you have nothing to do. I'm about to realize the ultimate meaning of boxing as my master, so don't beat me up."
"..." Li Qing gently closed the door and pushed Wan Ling out of the yard.
It was late autumn, and the sun was not scorching the body, but rather warm. The two of them wandered aimlessly, and their shadows gradually lengthened.
Wanling looked at Qixia Mountain, her eyes blurred, and her face was covered with a layer of light red rouge, "The sunset at Qixia Mountain is so beautiful."
Li Qing raised his eyes and saw that the sunset was emitting an orange-red halo, hanging there quietly, quiet and beautiful.
"Although the sunset is beautiful, it is not as beautiful as my girl Wang Yi."
"Sir is good at coaxing people, how can I be as good as me?" Wan Ling felt sweet in her heart and smiled sweetly. The experience of these decades is sweet just thinking about it...
…
Xuande six years, winter.
It snowed unexpectedly in Jinling, and Li Qing built three snowmen, which were lifelike.
"Girl, does it look the same this time?" Li Qing hugged Wan Ling and showed off proudly.
"Hmm...it's not too similar." Wan Ling said proudly, "Sir, you still need to keep working hard."
"This girl..." Li Qing laughed, "It will be more like her next year."
Wan Ling nuzzled into his arms and squinted her eyes comfortably, "It's so warm, sir, and it smells so good."
"Oh? Haha... People say stinky men smell bad. How can it smell so good?" Li Qing joked.
"Sir, you are not a stinky man." Wan Ling snorted, "It just smells good, um... it smells like peace of mind."
Li Qing hugged her tighter, stroking her hair with his chin, and murmured softly: "Girl, don't leave in a hurry. Please stay with your husband for a while."
"If I don't leave, sir, I won't be afraid." Wan Ling comforted her.